HEALTHY LIVING CANPREVENT CANCER FROMDEVELOPING, PROGRESSING,OR RECURRINGIN THIS SECTION YOU WILL LEARN:• MORE THAN HALF OF CANCER DEATHSIN THE UNITED STATES ARE A RESULT OFPREVENTABLE CAUSES.• TOBACCO USE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALMOST
30 PERCENT OF CANCER DEATHS IN THEUNITED STATES.• ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION FROM THE SUNAND INDOOR TANNING DEVICES CAUSES THEMAJORITY OF SKIN CANCERS.• DEVELOPING A PERSONALIZED CANCER-SCREENING PLAN WITH YOUR PHYSICIANS ISPART OF A HEALTHY APPROACH TO LIVING.• ABOUT ONE IN EVERY FIVE CANCERDIAGNOSES WORLDWIDE IS ATTRIBUTABLETO PERSISTENT INFECTION WITH APATHOGEN. INFECTION WITH MANY KNOWNCANCER-CAUSING PATHOGENS CAN BEPREVENTED BY VACCINATION OR TREATMENTWITH MEDICINES.• UP TO ONE-THIRD OF ALL NEW CANCERDIAGNOSES IN THE UNITED STATES ARERELATED TO BEING OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE,PHYSICAL INACTIVITY, AND/OR POORDIETARY HABITS.

Many of the greatest reductions in cancer morbidity and
mortality are a result of advances in cancer prevention and
early detection. ;ese advances were enabled by translating
the discoveries of the causes and progressive nature of
cancer into e;ective new clinical practices and public
education and policy initiatives.

Central to preventing cancer is the identi;cation of factors
that increase a person’s risk of developing cancer and
eliminating or reducing these factors where possible (see

Figure 4, p. 15). As research has enhanced our knowledge
of cancer risk factors, we have learned that more than 50
percent of the 585,720 cancer deaths expected to occur
in the United States in 2014 will be related to preventable
causes ( 16).

Many factors that increase the risk of developing cancer
are related to lifestyle; thus, adopting a healthy approach to
living, where possible, can eliminate or reduce the risk of
some cancers (see Figure 5, p. 15). Moreover, many healthy
approaches to living can also reduce cancer recurrence and
improve outcomes following a cancer diagnosis. However,
a great deal more research and many more resources are
needed to understand how best to help individuals change
their lifestyle.

Adopting Healthy Approaches
to Living

Tobacco use is responsible for almost 30 percent of cancer
deaths each year in the United States ( 1) (see Figure 6, p. 16).

As a result, one of the most e;ective ways a person can lower
the risk of developing cancer is to eliminate tobacco use (see
sidebar on Reasons to Eliminate Tobacco Use, p. 17). ;is
relationship between tobacco use and cancer was ;rst brought
to the public’s attention 50 years ago, when the U.S. Surgeon
General’s report on “Smoking and Health” was published ( 17).

Since then, smoking rates among U.S. adults have more than
halved, and as a result, an estimated 800,000 deaths from lung
cancer were avoided between 1975 and 2000 ( 18).